


The Lament Of A Time Traveler

by spiritikran



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 08:37:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7750747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiritikran/pseuds/spiritikran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an alternate universe where time travelers prey on those they take with them, the Doctor is desperate to protect the Ponds from certain doom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lament Of A Time Traveler

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this AU orignially came to me, as all good AUs do, in a dream a couple of years ago, and it's been kicking around in my head ever since. As I worked on this and it sort of evolved into its own separate entity, I ended up changing the character names and writing it as a short story, but at it's heart this has always been a Doctor Who AU. This is only the first chapter, but I already have the others planned out and it's going to get a lot more angsty and maybe a bit shocking so I hope you will stay tuned! ;)
> 
> One last thing: this was originally intended to be a rewrite of matt smith's seasons (particularly season seven because i was disappointed with how the ponds died, the revelation of Clara's identity, etc) so 'John Smith' in this version is the alias for eleven's doctor.

      Chapter 1:

     The Ponds

     He had reserved the couple as his last resort. For the first few months after they had moved into the apartment next to his, John had just watched them. They were always together, whether they were holding hands on the streets, reading out loud to each other under the huge tree he could see from outside his window, or just sitting on the steps of their apartment and enjoying each other's company. They may not have been a perfect couple; he often heard them arguing loudly from inside his apartment along with the occasional the sound of furniture being thrown. But they were happy, and though he had never spoken to them, he became fond of observing their everyday antics from afar, of seeing how affectionately they cared for each other and how effortlessly they seemed to lead normal lives.

    A few months after they'd first moved in, word got out that the couple was expecting a child. It wasn't long before people came knocking on their door and offering them baked goods. John felt guilty for not congratulating them, but he knew the longer he could put off interacting with his neighbors the better, because as soon as he did they would be in danger.

     It was around this time that he got the transmission from the Institution. He did not have to read it to know what it meant: he was running out of time. He checked his calendar. He had a small window of Safe Days (meaning ones that were not marked with a red x.) If he moved quickly, and they stayed local, he had a shot at keeping them safe. But there was the issue of how to approach them-he couldn't just show up at their door one day and tell them he was a time traveler. They'd think him insane. As it was they glared suspiciously whenever they passed by his door. To be fair, they weren't the only ones-he was notoriously reclusive, spending most of his days shut away in his apartnent with the lights on the lowest setting, going out of his apartment only when necessary and never speaking to anyone. He was sure the majority of his neighbors had no idea he even lived there, believing his apartment to be perpetually unoccupied. No, he decided, if this was going to be his last chance he was going to do it right. He was going to make it his duty get to know them this time.

     He flipped through his calendar. In three months there was to be a huge carnival going on in the city, but it was a red day. If he became comfortable enough with the couple, perhaps he could persuade them to go to the carnival. Either way, he needed more time.

 _Three months,_ he transmitted back to the Institution, _Three months._ _That's all I ask. You've waited this long, just give me three months._

    John concentrated on his transmitter, a little metal device that projected messages in blue light onto whatever surface it was held closest to (he found that his metal fridge was the easiest to read the messages on) for a solid minute before the Institution finally replied, _The Administrative Council has reviewed and approved your request. You have your three months, Doctor, but if it is not done by then more deliberate action will be taken. Time may pass quickly here, but our patience with you is running thin. We are getting hungry._ ________________________________________________________________________________________

     John had found the couple outside on their steps the next morning. It was late August and a little chilly, and he felt he could get away with casually wearing a suit and bow tie, his preferred choice of outfit. He approached them carefully, waiting until they had both looked up and seen him so as not to startle them before speaking. The woman, whose fiery red hair looked even more magnificent up close, was the first to address him. "Hello," she said in a sweet, accomadating voice. "Can we help you?"      

    "My name is John Smith. I live in the apartment next to you. We uh, we haven't met yet." He extended his hand and the woman shook it warmly.

     "Ah. Another neighbor." she said, not sounding the least bit surprised, to learn that someone did, in fact, occupy the seemingly vacant apartment next to them, or that their name was suspiciously ordinary. "I suppose you're here to ask us about the baby. You might as well come in. Can I make you some tea? I'm Amy, this is Rory."

    "Hello," said Rory.

    John followed the couple inside. He sat at a round green table with Rory as Amy made tea and they made small talk until it was ready.

     "Have you found out the gender yet? Or is it a surprise?"

     "It's a girl, actually. We've been trying to think of names," The kettle whistled and Amy went to take it off the stove. "Rory suggested we name it Amy, after me of course, although I was thinking something a little more out there, you know? Like Aster or Calypso, or- "

    "Melody," John offered the name of his ex wife.

    "Yes! Melody! That's perfect!" Amy exclaimed, "It's like you knew exactly the kind of name I was going for."

    "It was a lucky guess," he told them, though that wasn't exactly true. Amy poured the tea and joined John and Rory. At first John, who had initially been doubtful at his skills to carry on a conversation after being out of practice for so long, found the couple exceptionally easy to talk to, especially Amy, who was careful to give her full attention and not to interupt whenever John had something to say. Within a half hour of sitting and talking with the pair John had already felt as if he had known them for years. Amy and Rory had let him stay for dinner and he stayed and talked with them well into the night.

     "It was really nice meeting you, John," Amy had said when she had at last hugged him goodbye. It was a hug that would remain with him a long time after that first visit. Amy's hair had smelled faintly of cinammon and the tan colored sweater she wore felt soft against the plain suit he had worn.

    When he returned to his apartment that night, everything suddenly felt unbearably empty. It had been a long time since he had been shown such authentic warmth and kindness from anyone, nevermind people who had only hours ago been complete strangers, and now coming back to his apartment made him realize how truly lonely he had been for the past year or so.

    He lay awake for several hours, wondering how he had survived like this for so long, never staying in one place, forming attachments to people only to lie behind their backs. When he had first volunteered for this job on the promise that he would have an opportunity to travel across time and space, he never imagined that he would get stuck doing the Institution's dirty work. Now that his time as the Doctor was approaching its end, the Institution no longer had a use for him. If he failed this mission the Institution would have him killed, but he couldn't be responsible for ruining anymore lives. No matter what, there was the possibilty he was going to die anyways,  anf in that case he had nothing to lose by doing everything in his power, including bending the Institution's strict policies, if it meant he had a chance to save the Ponds. 


End file.
